Lighter Than Air Tire and Tube

ABSTRACT

A tire for a vehicle may include a cavity, and the cavity may be filled with a lighter than air gas. The gas may be hot air. The gas may be neon. The gas may be ammonia. The gas may be methane. The tire may include an interior surface having a reflective surface. The tire may include a tire tube having an exterior surface having a reflective surface. The tire may include a tire tube having an interior surface having a reflective surface.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to tires and more particularly to a tirehaving a reflective interior and filled with helium or other lighterthan air materials and having a tube having a reflective interiorsurface and exterior surface and a tire having a reflective interiorsurface.

BACKGROUND

In today's vehicle world, the cost of fuel is a very importantconsideration when driving. As a general rule, a heavy vehicle generallyuses more fuel than a lighter vehicle other factors being the same. If avehicle could be made lighter, fuel efficiency should increase.

Radiant barriers have been installed in homes-usually inattics-primarily to reduce summer heat gain, which helps lower coolingcosts. The barriers consist of a highly reflective material thatreflects (or more specifically, re-emits) radiant heat rather thanabsorbing it.

Heat travels from a warm area to a cool area by a combination ofconduction, convection, and radiation. Heat flows by conduction from ahotter location within a material or assembly to a colder location. Heattransfer by convection occurs when a liquid or gas is heated by asurface, becomes less dense, and rises (natural convection), or when amoving stream of air absorbs heat from a warmer surface (forcedconvection). Radiant heat travels in a straight line away from anysurface and heats anything solid that absorbs the incident energy.Radiant heat transfer occurs because warmer surfaces emit more radiationthan cooler surfaces.

When the sun heats a roof, it's primarily the sun's radiant energy thatmakes the roof hot. A large portion of this heat travels by conductionthrough the roofing materials to the attic side of the roof. The hotroof material then radiates its gained heat energy onto the cooler atticsurfaces, including the air ducts and the attic floor. A radiant barrierreduces the radiant heat transfer from the underside of the roof to theother surfaces in the attic.

A radiant barrier's performance is determined by three factors:

Emissivity (or emittance)—the ratio of the radiant energy (heat) leaving(being emitted by) a surface to that of a black body at the sametemperature and with the same area. It's expressed as a number a between0 and 1. The higher the number, the greater the emitted radiation.

Reflectivity (or reflectance)—a measure of how much radiant heat isreflected by a material. It's also expressed as a number between 0 and 1(sometimes, it is given as a percentage between 0 and 100%). The higherthe number, the greater the reflectivity.

The angle the incident radiation strikes the surface-a right angle(perpendicular) usually works best.

All radiant barriers must have a low emissivity (0.1 or less) and highreflectivity (0.9 or more). From one brand of radiant barrier toanother, the reflectivity and emissivity are usually so similar that itmakes little difference as far as thermal performance. (Most productshave emissivities of 0.03-0.05, which generally corresponds to areflectivity of 95%-97%.) Also, the greater the temperature differencebetween the sides of the radiant barrier material, the greater thebenefits a radiant barrier can offer.

Radiant barriers are more effective in hot climates than in coolclimates, especially when cooling air ducts are located in the attic.Some studies show that radiant barriers can lower cooling costs between5%-10% when used in a warm, sunny climate. The reduced heat gain mayeven allow for a smaller air conditioning system. But in cool climates,it's usually more cost effective to install more than the minimumrecommended level of insulation rather than a radiant barrier.

Radiant barriers come in a variety of forms, including reflective foil,reflective metal roof shingles, reflective laminated roof sheathing, andeven reflective chips, which can be applied over loose-fill insulation.The reflective material, usually aluminum, is applied to one or bothsides of a number of substrate materials. Substrate materials includekraft paper, plastic films, cardboard, oriented strand board, and airinfiltration barrier material. Some products are fiber-reinforced toincrease the durability and ease of handling.

Also, radiant barriers-which don't provide a significant amount ofthermal insulation-can be combined with many types of insulationmaterials. These combinations are called reflective insulation systems.In these combinations, radiant barriers can also act as the insulation'sfacing material.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,522,980 discloses a method and algorithm for predictingthe fluid loss rate of a system, using data for the leak rate from thesystem for a substitute fluid that leaks at a different rate than thesystem fluid. In the illustrated embodiment, the system is a pneumatictire and the substitute fluid is helium gas. The helium leak rate datais used in a Fortran program to predict the air loss rate from the tireby determining the leak rate factor f for helium, as compared to air,and using T to calculate the air loss rate.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,822 discloses a tire testing apparatus and methodfor detecting leaks in tires used on lawn mowers. The tire testingapparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a roughing pump, a hi-vac pump, anairtight seal, and a spectrometer. The roughing pump and hi-vac pumpevacuate the air from the vacuum chamber, creating a vacuum. Thepressure sensor detects the level of vacuum in the vacuum chamber andreports this information to the PLC. A method of detecting leaks intires using the tire testing apparatus is also provided. The methodincludes the steps of inflating the tire with a mixture of air and 10%helium by volume, placing the tire in the vacuum chamber, sealing thevacuum chamber and removing the air creating a vacuum, then detectingthe amount of helium in the chamber, and removing the tire from thechamber and placing it either in the rejected conveyor, or theacceptable conveyor.

SUMMARY

A tire for a vehicle may include a cavity, and the cavity may be filledwith a lighter than air gas.

The gas may be hot air.

The gas may be neon.

The gas may be ammonia.

The gas may be methane.

The tire may include an interior surface having a reflective surface.

The tire may include a tire tube having an exterior surface having areflective surface.

The tire may include a tire tube having an interior surface having areflective surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the tire of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an end view of the tire of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a tube of the tire of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 illustrates an end view of the tube of the tire of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the tube of the tire andthe tire of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the tire 101 which mayinclude a tire tread exterior surface 103 which may extend around theperiphery of the tire 101 and which may be connected to a tire shoulder113 which may be connected to the tire tread exterior surface 103. Thetire 101 may be substantially doughnut shaped, formed from a flexiblematerial and hollow Additionally, the tire shoulder 113 may be connectedto a tire sidewall surface 107 around the periphery of the tire 101, andthe tire sidewall surface 107 may extend radially and connect to a tirebead 115 which may define a central aperture 105 which may cooperatewith a tire wheel 117 which may form a seal with the tire bead 115 inorder that the hollow cavity 119 of the tire 101 which may be defined bythe tire tread interior surface 121 which may be opposed to the tiretread exterior surface 103, the tire shoulder interior surface 123 whichmay be opposed to the tire shoulder exterior surface 113, the interiortire sidewall surface 125 which may be opposed to the exterior tire sizesidewall surface 109 and the exterior surface of the tire wheel 117.

The tire tread interior surface 121 may be connected to the tireshoulder interior surface 103 which may be connected to the interiortire sidewall surface 125.

The tire tread interior surface 121 may be coated with a tire treadinterior reflective surface 131 which may include a reflective materialas described below; the tire shoulder interior surface 103 may be coatedwith a tire shoulder interior reflective surface 133 which may include areflective material as described below, and the interior tire sidewallsurface 125 may be coated with a tire sidewall reflective surface 135.The reflective material may be placed on the hub of the automobileand/or the rim.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional end view of the tire 101 which mayinclude a tire tread exterior surface 103 which may extend around theperiphery of the tire 101 and which may be connected to a tire shoulderexterior surface 113 which may be connected to the tire tread exteriorsurface 103. The tire 101 may be substantially doughnut shaped, formedfrom a flexible material and hollow Additionally, the tire shoulder 113may be connected to a exterior tire sidewall surface 107 around theperiphery of the tire 101, and the exterior tire sidewall surface 107may extend radially and connect to a tire bead 115 which may define acentral aperture 105 which may cooperate with a tire wheel 117 which mayform a seal with the tire bead 115 in order that the hollow cavity 119of the tire 101 which may be defined by the tire tread interior surface121 which may be opposed to the tire tread exterior surface 103, thetire shoulder interior surface 123 which may be opposed to the tireshoulder exterior surface 113, the interior tire sidewall surface 125which may be opposed to the exterior tire size sidewall surface 109 andthe exterior surface of the tire wheel 117.

The tire tread interior surface 121 may be connected to the tireshoulder interior surface 103 which may be connected to the interiortire sidewall surface 125.

The tire tread interior surface 121 may be coated with a tire treadinterior reflective surface 131 which may include a reflective materialas described below; the tire shoulder interior surface 103 may be coatedwith a tire shoulder interior reflective surface 133 which may include areflective material as described below, and the interior tire sidewallsurface 125 may be coated with a tire sidewall reflective surface 135.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the tire tube 102 which may besubstantially doughnut shaped and which may cooperate with the tire 101.The tire tube 102 may include an exterior tube surface 141 and interiortube surface 143 which may define a tube hollow cavity 145. The hollowtube cavity 145 may be defined by interior tube surface 147 which may beopposed to the exterior tube surface 141. The exterior tube surface 141may be coated with an exterior reflective tube surface 149, and theinterior tube surface 143 may be coated with interior reflective tubesurface 151. The exterior reflective surface 149 and the interiorreflective tube surface 151 may be formed from reflective material asdescribed below.

FIG. 4 illustrates an end view of the tire tube 102 which may besubstantially doughnut shaped and which may cooperate with the tire 101.The tire tube 102 may include an exterior tube surface 141 and interiortube surface 143 which may define a tube hollow cavity 145. The hollowtube cavity 145 may be defined by interior tube surface 147 which may beopposed to the exterior tube surface 141. The exterior tube surface 141may be coated with an exterior reflective tube surface 149, and theinterior tube surface 143 may be coated with interior reflective tubesurface 151. The exterior reflective surface 149 and the interiorreflective tube surface 151 may be formed from reflective material asdescribed below.

FIG. 5 illustrates the tube 102 positioned within the tire 103 andmounted on the wheel 117.

The reflective coating may be used to reflect heat away from the tire103 and the tube 102 and may be a spray-on radiant heat barrier whichmay be essentially a “liquid foil” in the form of a paint. Thereflective coating may substantially cover the entire interior surfaceof the tire 103, may substantially cover the entire exterior surface ofthe tube 102 and may substantially cover the entire interior surface ofthe tube 102. The reflective coating may be a film or alternatively, thereflective coating may be a foil for the heat barrier. There are manybrands of paint and have different performance characteristics. The bestare water-based low-e paint called HeatBloc-75 made by STS Coatings orRadiance e.25, made by BASF.

The reflective coating in the form of a radiant barrier spray paint maybe sprayed on, applied in sheets by epoxy or other methods ofapplication.

The tire 103 may be tubeless, and the tire 103 may be a tube tire withthe tube 102. The tire 103 or the tube 102 may be filled with a lighterthan air gas either solely filled or partially filled with the lighterthan air gas. Neon may be used as the lighter than air gas and has beenshown to lift a balloon.

Water Vapor may be used as the lighter than air gas. An the gaseousstate, water is lighter than air and has successfully been used as alifting gas. Ammonia may be used as the lighter than air gas, andammonia has sometimes been used to fill weather balloons. Due to itsrelatively high boiling point (compared to helium and hydrogen), ammoniacould potentially be refrigerated and liquefied prior to being placed inthe tire 103 and returned to a gas when introduced to the tire 103.

Methane may be used as the lighter than air gas which is the chiefcomponent of natural gas is sometimes used as a lift gas when hydrogenand helium are not available. Methane has the advantage of not leakingthrough tire walls as rapidly as the small-molecule hydrogen and helium.

Hydrogen, helium hydrogen mixture may be used as the lighter than airgas.

Although helium is twice as heavy as (diatomic) hydrogen, they are bothso much lighter than air that this difference is inconsequential.Hydrogen has about 8% more buoyancy than helium.

Nitrogen gas may be used as a lighter than air gas. Aerogel may be usedas an equivalent of the lighter than air gas, but it is one of thelightest solids or to be more accurate the least dense solid. Aerogel ismostly air because it's structure is like that of a highly vacuoussponge. SEAgel, in the same family as aerogel but made from agar, can befilled with nitrogen gas to create a solid which floats or hangs in theair.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by wayof example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It shouldbe understood, however, that the description herein of specificembodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particularforms disclosed.

1. A tire for a vehicle, comprising: the tire including a cavity;wherein the cavity is filled with a lighter than air gas.
 2. A tire fora vehicle as in claim 1, wherein the gas is hot air.
 3. A tire for avehicle as in claim 1, wherein the gas is neon.
 4. A tire for a vehicleas in claim 1, wherein the gas is ammonia.
 5. A tire for a vehicle as inclaim 1, wherein the gas is methane.
 6. A tire for a vehicle as in claim1, wherein the tire includes an interior surface having a reflectivesurface.
 7. A tire for a vehicle as in claim 1, wherein the tireincludes a tire tube having an exterior surface having a reflectivesurface.
 8. A tire for a vehicle as in claim 1, wherein the tireincludes a tire tube having an interior surface having a reflectivesurface.